Canyoning is a blended term for hiking, jumping, leaping, rappelling and sliding down a usually wet slot canyon with pools of water, running water or waterfalls. Canyoning requires climbing gear, kits, proper suits and often technical training.

Now goes the mini tales of our adventures:

“Deerwalk Team Canyoning” included eleven players. It was seven in the morning, the weather was cool and the sky was hazy. As Deerwalk van picked each of our players, a wondrous wave passed by our mind. After much hiccups in gathering our dear friends, the vehicle took its pace to the Arniko highway.

The environment became more vibrantly greener and cleaner, as we rolled away into Dhulikhel curves along with the tune of vivid songs inside. Time and again, jokes and pranks by our elders would fill the vehicle with endless laughter which were topped by the junior counterparts with added fun.

After having a brief eggy lunch at KhadiChour, we reached the Kavreli-Canyoning-Site. It was time to unload and hike. We took our special bagpacks which included all the inventories needed for canyoning. Not to mention the bagpack was too bulky indeed for our “shoulders”, as we tried to climb the steep slope. The landscape was muddy and narrow for placing our feet. But nobody preferred to tumble around the mountainous terrain and climbed carefully.

Each of us were aware about the greater adventure that awaited – “we have come to descend down the cool waterfalls”. And the ‘breathless-sweats’ were too minor compared to the chilling fresh waterfall streams that awaited our presence beneath the gorge.

Moving steadily on the way, we had a surprise awaiting us. The nearby residing local farmers had this ‘Hilo Parva’, the celebration of starting of rice plantation session. And if you know festival Holi, yes.. it’s a kinda ‘Holi’,.. but played by “red-mud” or “watery clay”. Our team was happily invited to join along and play. There were elders, children, young girls, boys.. totally excited. We speeded.. but these people were in the mood and too joyous, .. soon we became the centre of tank-field, where bullets of mud-and clay began clamping upon us uninvitedly from all the sides.

The situation was inevitable. A sort of “run-run” syndrome rushed along the team combined with the fun of being “muddily-dirtied”. Everyone was laughing around, looking at each other,.. we were soaked wildly in brown waterish-muds everywhere from hair, to eye.. Collars and tshirts. Thanks to cool water streams on the way that helped us cleanse at least our face and hands.

Now at 1:00pm, comes the most awaited spot where our “grand-canyoning” shall begin!!

It was a lonely place among the greens, we were the only canyoner’s team today. Unloading the bag packs, the guides showed us to wear the wet-suit (superman suit) individually. We managed to fit ourselves into the tight scuba-suits after much struggle. The realization of the importance of these tight-fitting waterproof suits came later as we slided comfortably on the sharp-stony edges without a scratch, moreover it also aided little to float well in water. Beside the wet-suit would prevent the constant evaporation during repeatedly “in and out” of water and keeps us from chilling. The kits, even the shoes frictioned well on the slippery algaish rock plates.

We were briefly “trained and tested” for canyoning by our leading-guide. Canyoning is a very complex sport, aided by multitude of basic scientific techniques to keep you safe and steady. Like any sports, it is of course challenging and requires much balancing act which surely comes from experience. But the penalty here can be life threatening. We had an expert guidance all the way down.

The first lesson was to have faith in our rope which can bear the tensile-strength upto 700kg. The rope was lashed into the hook which was connected to the belts tied to our waist area. And there is obviously a standard way to “tie and hold”, we learned.

The descent technique is simple, try to focus all your hanging weight into the rope that binds around our waist-area. i.e. Do not hang using your “hands on rope” to support your weight. This will leave your hands relaxed for steady and graceful release while making the descent.

Try to leave both legs perpendicular to the slope on which you descent. This will let the remaining weight components (not captured by waist-rope) to go straight into the feet to keep the overall legs free and under control. By bending the knees, you complicate & confuse the weight components which will tense your legs, losing more freedom of control by your legs, meaning chances of imbalance.

Follow where the rope hangs down. Now, move as if you are walking slowly in backward direction looking around the possibilities that tiny vertical terrain around presents you.

Finally, you’re here for Funnnzzz, eye around.. take your own time. Get the powerful milky, ice cool waterfall directly upon your face. The elixir that grails from atop of holy mountains, stay against its current for a while. Be a part of the divine moment that the mythical mystical medieval canyon presents you mixed with the greenish tints of sunlight that came tumbling down bouncing off from the ferns, bryophytes, water-plants & algaes. (You can taste the water too if thirsty to rejuvenate back into life like an adventurous computer-game :p )

Now, the Thrill part. Just as you descend the waterfalls, be sure to be welcomed by a minor or major pool of water beneath. Time for a Jump! or Slide! or Rope Slide! has come into the waterpark made in nature for the adrenaline junkies!!

Your friends are waiting down into the pool cheering up for the hilarious moment. Some of them are swimming into the pools like dried fishes, directly where the water falls into the pool. But yes!, the water is deep and unpredictably moving fast.

For non-swimmer, make sure to grab the rope as you plunge underwater as someone throws it for you before it sways way by the water current.

This will repeat in the next waterfall! But remember every waterfall is completely different. There were four waterfalls in Kavreli-Canyoning-Site. The longest had a descent of 45m. We came into the valley around the shore of the river BhoteKoshi. We had a short trip to the pre-planned restaurant for a mealtime around 5:30pm. The returning journey was equally fun when Kedar Dai shared his weird experiences and jokes which filled the air with laughter and fun again. Still tired, soon we got drifted by the musical tunes and fell asleep while the van speeded towards Kathmandu Valley to drop each of us into our homes.

Our Amazing and Exciting Journey ends here!!

Memoirs of Canyoners.

Nimesh Deuja Canyoning is an extreme adventure that involves abseiling, sliding, jumping into deep pool, swimming and climbing down waterfalls on steep canyon cliffs strapped in harness with help of ropes and other tools and outfitted in wet suit, helmet etc. Approximately 16 kms south of the Tibetan border, the Kabre Khola Waterfall is truly magical and an exciting spot for adventure seekers. The first descent begins at the very edge of a 30m waterfall seemed stupid for a novice to attempt, we abseil another 45m down a steep canyon, past a wild rock formation through powerful blasts of water. I was excited in the last two waterfalls. But at last it was great fun with friends. You need to know the rules and techniques while you go trying this adventure. You should look straight, have your arms above your head and let your legs go floppy. This will help you enter the water safely and you won’t smack against the surface and hurt yourself.

Ishan Gajurel It was a wonderful moment. Never had such thrilling experience before ! Thrilling it was, but interesting as well. At some moment, it was cheering, but at some, it made my heart pound! I also got a chance to get acquainted with more friends and colleagues at Deerwalk. Thanx Deerwalk for supporting us ! Thanx Nimesh Dai and Sagar Dai for organising such a program. And Kedar Dai’s jokes are unforgettable and the quote “Nakura Garaun”.

Ishwor Pokharel First outing from Deerwalk and it was great. The chosen location for canyoning was just perfect in terms of our experience and the thrill we wanted. Best part was getting to know other Deerwalk members closely. The trip was fun and memorable.

Pranav Nandan Imagine, hanging by a rope relying on a casted steel lock connected to the waist. Below is the greenish-algaish, rocky steep, 180 degree or C-shaped, twisted oddly in a helical manner. One wrong step, and your imbalance gravity will leave you spinning, or demanding your “to and fro” to balance him. Your weight then relies on the friction between your hands and the rope as you desperately try to keep yourself clinging till your motion stops. All because you don’t want to tumble down between canyons, speeding hellishly on those steepy algae and stoning yourself down the 45 metres stream. Say you reach the end of the stream somehow, down below a 16 feet water pool awaiting your jump. Huh!! Do I know swimming JUMPP!! and make sure you grab the rope and go for the underwater journey!! “Absolute Thrill” for me in two words!!

Pashupati Pradhan Canyoning @ Bhote Koshi was an adventurous and thrilling experience. It was life time memorable moment moving down along the water falls… It was full of excitement and enjoyment and hope to go there again in the future too…

Sagar Maharjan A mud fight with locals as Holi festival, wearing a spiderman like gear, climbing down slippery hills using ropes, diving into not so deep ponds, sliding and swimming with old and new friends of Deerwalk after about 2 months was refreshing, rejuvenating and exciting experience. Definitely, PAISA WASOOL experience.

Sulabh Bista Adventure and thrill on water and rocks. Descent from the top of water fall and the gushing water beating the body made me feel I remained hung there forever And yes, the scuba diving clothes they made us wear kept us warm throughout the descent. But swimming on the pool of the last descent with all my clothes off (except the required minimum) was nostalgic. Swimming and jumping on the pool was fun throughout the descent.

Biswas Lohani I was very much excited and thrilled by this outing. Particularly, I enjoyed each and every moment in this trip. The most fun part was when I was made to jump from the height into the deep water without knowing how to swim. Moreover, I got to learn most of basic techniques of descending down the steep in a safe manner. Such an exciting trip…. Thank You DEERWALK.

Sajjan Shrestha Well, at first I was scared, but when all my friends were willing to go I also became courageous to experiment such thing. It was very much thrilling and exciting experience for me because I had never done such thing in my life before. At last I like to thank the organiser for making such a memorable event….

When the fields were green and sky was hazed, we started our journey.

Robocup specs

When you are happy and you know, raise your hands

Carrying heavy bags ( not actually :D )

Sleepy adventurer

Carry your bag and start walking.

“Bho, Na Kura Garau”

Calm walk …

… turned into “hile holi”

Some cleaning dirt, some moving on

Round table meeting

“I had my new suit”

New superhero in town

“Ma pani superhero banne”

All the superheroes: Spiderman, Superman, Batman…

All suited up

Hope this will save your life.

Excited and prepared

Training session: pass

Heavy men, thin rope

The upward view

Waiting for their turn

Life guard giving instructions

“All is well”

Hanging on a rope, yet posing for a photo

Our swimming saviours

The red bag of life

When you dont know how to swim …

Cool water; enjoying the swim

Feeling the water hit your brain

Preparing for one small descent

The color of life, vigor, freedom and hope: Green

“Swimming” in knee high water :P

Sliding down!

Wearing the helmet keeps you safe from falling debris

“La la la la Lirillll”

Praying to god? For what?

Hook the safety rope if you wanna live.

Down the pit-hole: Can you do the same?

Longest and the most thrilling descent

However the high cliffs are, plants will always learn how to conquer them.

Obviously aint playing hangman.

At the end of the day all tired yet wondering at the canyon they conquered.

Food for thought…umm…no for stomach.

The return walk

Phototaxis: plants always climp up to reach the sun

This cock sure has a big grudge against that baby goat.

Swim with the flow, bow to the wind.

“2 vs 1″ knockout fight challenge

The era of new begining

Take nothing but memories, leave nothing but footprints.

Deerwalk Team Canyoning: Kavreli Khola was last modified: May 26th, 2012 by Ashay